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Got the HEDP today. I vacuumed yesterday and unfortunately recirculated the crap at the bottom. The water was clear until then. I have a plan to vac to waste next time, but worry that the fill water will pump the bad stuff back in and I'll face the same predicament...
Here's an idea for your fill water -- As suggested by PoolDoc in a sticky-- get a cheap blow-up kiddy splash pool and pretreat your well water before putting it into your main pool.
Did you ever get the Unicel replacement cartridges? The sort of iron precipitate I'm seeing in your buckets should be filterable. If you use the Unicels + polyquat (both an algaecide AND a clarifier) + HEDP each time you fill, you may be able to work out continuous control, with no cloudy or brown periods.
It will probably take some experimentation and testing on your part to get it just right. PLEASE do tell us what works and doesn't, so others can benefit.
And, the mini-pool idea, if you want to try it, will allow you to fill with mostly iron free water. Essentially, you just do a 'bucket' test in a 500 - 1,000 gallon pool, let everything settle, and then hang a small sump pump above the sludge, and let it pump the clear water into your pool. However, rather than adding bleach + soda ash, I'd use bleach + borax, so you don't end up with really high TA in your pool.
Thanks, Doc and Charlie! Doc, I did get Unicel filters--will put them in. What doses of polyquat and HEDP should I use?
I appreciate the help!
Which polyquat and HEDP did you get? (Different brands have different concentrations).
HTH super algaecide (60%) polyquat; 20% HEDP Kem Tek
On your pool, each fluid oz will add 1 ppm polyquat, using the 60% HTH product. A reasonable dose would be 2 fl oz (1/4 cup) every 2 - 3 days.
Add a dose, install the Unicel cartridge, leave your pump running, then stir up the pool, and see if the stuff will filter out.
Hold off on the HEDP - calcium that high makes the HEDP problematic. I working on that. Did you test the CH level & TA levels in the water in in the lime softening bucket? If that went well, (CH>100 ppm), the first step might be to run that on your pool.
TA - stopped at 101 drops; the water was still green
CH - water was more orange than yellow, so I don't know
The water has been sitting for a week.
Did you dechlorinate the sample with sodium thiosulfate prior to running the CH test?
No.
I vacuumed to waste the sediment on the pool floor yesterday, installed the unicel, and added polyquat. I'll let you know how it goes.
Oh, I also got a 1,500 gph Intex pump. Just waiting for the hose adapter...